Friday, October 31, 2014

Here's my last Halloween project for the year (so sad). Since this month's challenge is to use the tag dies, I decided to use one as the basis for a fold up card with a Stand Up Helper as the flap closure. The flap really holds the card closed well, considering the surprise waiting to pop out when opened!

2. Die cut with Tag 2 at the very top. Trim off excess on sides to form a long tag.

3. Use the leaves from Stand Up Helpers Set 2, cut about 1/4 inch below hole (where the fold will start). Gently fold up along line. Remove star paper. Fold black cardstock in half. Measure from top to just above fold and cut off excess on star paper. Temporarily adhere star paper back in place.

4. Use Lots of Pops as per instructions, centered along the inside fold. Remove star paper and cut off only its center pop up platforms (leave sides). Permanently adhere star paper to card base.

5. Measure from top of card to the leaves Stand Up Helper fold. Close flap and measure down the same amount then add 1/16 inch to give it some wiggle room. Mark in pencil and cut off the excess so you can put the flap easily under the Stand Up Helper to close up the tag card.

6. Carefully pop out the three middle platforms (you will not use the side pop ups). Cut a piece of black cardstock, big enough to cover the platforms from the reverse side - fold and adhere to back of card.

7. Cut a piece of light blue MME Mischievous paper to cover the back of the tag card. I didn't bother covering the shaped top; I just cut a rectangle. Adhere to back. Cut a small rectangle of the same light blue to add a little to the card front (see photo); adhere. Cut a piece of October grid paper MME Mischievous a little smaller than the front as shown. (Save extra for inside card.) Ink edges slightly with Black Soot Distress Ink using a foam blending tool; adhere.

9. Glue black Pumpkin outline to orange houndstooth base and adhere to front of the card as shown.

10. Adhere the circle "moon" as shown; trim excess with scissors.

11. Adhere part of the All Seasons Tree so that one of the branches goes across the top of the leaves Stand Up Helper fold. Trim excess. Line up the black leaves with the Stand Up Helper - trim excess and glue the leaves in place to cover the star paper on the stand up. You want it to look like leaves from the tree are hanging down in front of the moon.

12. Peel off backing on Double Sided Adhesive and stick to white cardstock. Peel off backing on other side and adhere the following Halloween Peel-Off stickers (leave space between): witch, small ghost, large ghost, pumpkin. Cover the witch with Silver Silk Microfine Glitter (since the witch is in front of the moon, I wanted her to be a little darker). Cover the rest with Warm Diamond Silk Microfine Glitter; polish with finger. Color with alcohol markers as desired. Fussy cut around each (the Fine Pointed Scissors work well). Note: I cut off the small ghost hands and some of the witch to make it easier. Line with black marker around edges to hide any white cardstock that may show.

13. Using dimensional tape, adhere witch to moon as shown. Glue pumpkin and ghosts to platforms as shown.

14. Cut the saved October grid paper so it fits on bottom inside of card as shown; adhere. Stamp sentiment on light blue paper; cut around. Adhere to center of October grid paper using dimensional tape.

15. Apply Rusty Hinge Distress Ink to a non porous surface such as a craft sheet. Mist with water and run a length of seam binding ribbon through it. Set aside to dry. Cut a length of Halloween colored twine. If it is too bright, use Antique Linen Distress Ink to tone it down, similar to how you dyed the seam binding; dry. Tie a bow as shown with the twine. Tie the seam binding around the bow as shown.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Fall is the time for Halloween and getting ready for Christmas (although it seems it's never too early to get a start on Christmas cards!), but it's also high season for weddings. I'm certainly well aware of this being a photographer! A friend and fellow gamer just got married; this is the card I made for the new couple.

Making the Card

1. Cut a piece of white cardstock in half so you have two pieces 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches. Fold one in half for a card base.

2. Cut the left-over piece of white cardstock in half and use one to cut a piece 3 7/8 x 5 1/8 inches; emboss with Spring Leaves Adhere to center of card front using dimensional tape. Use the other half to create the tag using Tag 1 main die plus the decorator die. Trim to 4 1/2 inches.

3. From another piece of white cardstock, die cut one large and one small Crystal Flower Overlay and one small Crystal Flower (solid). Adhere the large overlay to the tag as shown. Curl the petals of the others and adhere as shown (offset from each other).

4. Adhere some Double Sided Adhesive to white cardstock. Die cut Congratulations and a small Crystal Flower center circle. Peel off backing and coat with Warm Diamond Silk Microfine Glitter polish with finger. Glue circle to center of flower. Glue Congratulations near bottom of tag as shown. Adhere ribbon over bottom of Congratulations as shown, wrapping it around the back of the tag.

5. Using dimensional tape, adhere tag to front of card at a slight angle as shown.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

There are so many possibilities for the new tag dies - I couldn't wait to try them. I made two cards at the same time using a couple different tag die sets - one with a Halloween theme and one with a Christmas theme. They are a tad smaller than an A2 sized card.

Making the Cards

1. Fold a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of cardstock in half lengthwise. Cut in half, giving you two cards measuring 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches with the fold on the long side.

2. Line up and center the main Tag 1 die at the top of one of the folded cards (front) such that the edge of the folded card is inside the left edge of the die, i.e. you do not want to cut the fold, instead you want to line up the die next to the fold on that side. Run it through the die cutting machine. Do the same with the main Tag 3 die on the other card. Using a paper trimmer, continue the tag cut down the outside of both cards.

3. Using the decorator dies with each set, open the cards and cut the top front of each, lining up the holes.

4. For the Halloween card, cut around spider from Halloween In Frame Peel-Off and use it to roughly measure off the same amount of Double Sided Adhesive. Peel off the backing paper and stick to white cardstock. Peel off the other side and stick the spider Peel-Off to it. Coat with Warm Diamond Silk Microfine Glitter and polish with your finger. Color with alcohol markers. Fussy cut around design and use a black marker around the outside to cover any cardstock around the edges.

5. Cut the candy corn paper using the Katie Label Accordion main die. Line up and cut again in the opposite direction to remove tabs, etc. so you have only the label part as shown. Using the label die (one size down), cut black cardstock. Adhere candy corn label to center of card front as shown. Adhere black cardstock label to the center of candy corn label. Using dimensional tape, adhere the spider to the center of the black cardstock.

6. Cut a piece of candy corn paper using the main Tag 1 die; trim edges. Using Agatha Edge with the bracket point, center and trim as desired to line the inside top of the card - adhere offset little from top; use the small hole die to recut the hole. Cut a round reinforcement from black cardstock; adhere around inside hole over candy corn paper (this also hides the offset hole).

7. (Optional) If the Halloween twine is too white, dye it with Antique Linen Distress Ink. Tap Antique Linen onto a nonporous surface such as a craft sheet. Mist with water. Roll Halloween twine in it. Let dry. Ditto with Christmas twine (I used less ink and more water for a subtle tint).

8. Tap Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink onto a nonporous surface such as a craft sheet. Mist with water. Saturate a length of seam binding ribbon in it. Clean craft sheet. Do the same with Bundled Sage and another length of seam binding ribbon. Let dry.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Hello Ruby Rock-It and Elizabeth Craft Designs Fans! We are very happy to be partnering together this month to bring you this fun blog hop!

Each of our companies is offering an exciting prize! Here's all the details on how you will be eligible to win!

Start at the beginning of our blog hop here. Simply follow the order listed below, making sure you stop and leave some love in the comments section for each designer! Please be sure to include your email in the comments section, so we will be able to contact you should you win!

And the Elizabeth Craft Designs prize is a package full of fun Peel-Offs from their new collection, Stand Up Helpers Set 2 and a pack of Watercolor paper.

My Card

My first thought was to make a rain/umbrella themed card using the new Rainy Day dies and Ruby Rock-it rain drop paper and Droplets (I did end up using a couple droplets - love them!), then I saw the cute 3D owls, bird, and feather background paper! I ended up with a cheerful Hello greeting card instead. I hope you like it!

3. Cut six copies of Hello Die from black cardstock. Glue each layer on top of the other to create a thick stack. Add Glossy Accents to top layer. Set aside to dry. Cut a rectangle from white cardstock 3/4 x 2 3/8 inches. Adhere Hello and blue Droplets as shown.

I am Certified Copic Instructor and formerly a Class Instructor for Michaels (PaperEd: scrapbooking, card making, Copic coloring). My first design team was for Elizabeth Craft Designs 2014, followed by ECD's Susan Tierney-Cockburn's DT, 2015 - part of 2016, then finally back to the ECD team for the rest of 2016. I was also part of the Oak Tree Stamps DT 2015, Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko Artist in Residence Program 2016, Frantic Stamper DT Jan/Feb 2017 and Rubbernecker Stamps DT, Sep 2017-Jan 2018. I was a guest designer for Paper Smooches (October 2016) and Your Next Stamp (May 2017). I am currently on the Dreamerland Crafts and Xyron Design Teams.

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